Already under investigation for alleged sexual harassment, Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia faces new controversy after reports that she made angry remarks about Asian-Americans and used anti-gay slurs to refer to a legislative leader.

Garcia, a Democrat from Bell Gardens, is a candidate for election to a fourth two-year term in the California Assembly even as she takes a voluntary, unpaid leave during an Assembly Rules Committee investigation of claims by a male legislative aide and lobbyist that Garcia drunkenly groped and propositioned them.

Her re-election challenge in the June 5 primary seemed to only get more difficult when the news site Politico reported Sunday on Garcia’s outburst against Asian-Americans during a 2014 meeting of the Assembly Democratic Caucus.

Politico cited sources familiar with the incident saying Garcia, reacting angrily to Asian-American activists’ successful lobbying to defeat a proposed repeal of California’s ban on affirmative action in college admissions, told colleagues: “This makes me want to punch the next Asian person I see in the face.”

Politico’s sources included John Perez, the Assembly speaker at the time, who said he had to “strongly admonish” Garcia for the comment.

Answering a Southern California News Group reporter’s questions about the incident by email Monday, Garcia said she made the remark “in a heated and emotional battle over affirmative action,” quickly realized it was “irrational and wrong,” and met with Asian-Pacific Islander members of the Assembly to apologize.

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It was Perez, the Assembly’s first openly gay speaker, whom Garcia is alleged to have called a “faggot” and a “homo” in 2014. Garcia said in an interview with KQED radio this year that she doesn’t use the first word, but told the San Francisco station she might have used the second in the privacy of her office.

Garcia previously made a public apology to Perez.

Politico also reported that Garcia has embellished her resume by falsely claiming to have earned a master’s degree from UCLA. Garcia said Monday she did not make such a claim, and that it was erroneously published by a legislative reference book.

Garcia is one of more than a half-dozen California legislators — all Democrats representing districts in Los Angeles County — who have faced accusations of sexual harassment since last fall, when the scandal involving Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein drew attention to problems in many industries. Three resigned, although Sen. Tony Mendoza, D-Artesia, is running to get back his seat.

Garcia’s harassment accusations, which include a former aide’s claim that the assemblywoman pressured staffers to play “spin the bottle” with her, elicited charges of hypocrisy. Garcia had gained fame as a leader of the #MeToo movement. She signed an open letter in 2017 decrying sexual harassment of women by powerful men in California government.

The accusations about anti-Asian and anti-gay remarks invite more charges of hypocrisy. Garcia has billed herself as a champion of “disadvantaged communities.” Her campaign website’s homepage proclaims that she is “Making California work for everyone.”

With Garcia appearing vulnerable, six other Democrats and one Republican have entered the 58th Assembly District primary, from which the top two finishers will advance to the Nov. 6 general election. The Democrats are Bell Gardens City Councilman Pedro Aceituno, City of Commerce Vice Mayor Ivan Altamirano, former Commerce planning commissioner Miguel Angel Alvarado, former Cerritos College trustee John Paul Drayer, former state legislative aide Friné Medrano, and businesswoman Karla Salazar. The Republican is mortgage banker Mike Simpfenderfer.

Time to FIRE potty mouth, multi millionaire, lying ASM Garcia.Time to FIRE hypocrite job killing politicians.Time for a CHANGE in the 58th.Time for an Assemblymember who PROTECT American jobs.Time for Mike Simpfenderfer, 58th AD June 5th, HE CARES!https://t.co/vaxRXnrzmL

Kevin Modesti is a reporter for the Los Angeles Daily News and the Southern California News Group, covering the political scene in Los Angeles County. An L.A. native, he was a sports writer, columnist and editor for most of his career, and later an editorial board member, writer and editor in the Opinion section. He lives in the San Fernando Valley and is based in the Woodland Hills office.